RESUMO
A study of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes shows that a molecule involved in defense against the malaria parasite also plays a role in male fertility, identifying a potential evolutionary trade-off between immunity and reproductive fitness. Read the Research Article.
Assuntos
Anopheles/metabolismo , Proteínas de Insetos/metabolismo , Espermatogênese , Animais , Anopheles/imunologia , Feminino , Fertilidade , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Insetos Vetores/imunologia , Insetos Vetores/metabolismo , Masculino , Plasmodium/imunologia , Espermatozoides/metabolismo , Testículo/metabolismoRESUMO
A new study shows that components of the unfolded protein pathway are needed to help manage the production of vast amounts of insulin by pancreatic ß cells in response to glucose stimulation. Read the Research Article.
Assuntos
Processamento Alternativo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Endorribonucleases/metabolismo , Hiperglicemia/metabolismo , Células Secretoras de Insulina/metabolismo , Insulina/metabolismo , Estresse Oxidativo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Animais , Feminino , Humanos , Secreção de Insulina , MasculinoRESUMO
The mechanism by which plants make starch-a vital foodstuff for billions of humans-is poorly understood, with a clear role for just one enzyme, granular binding starch synthase. A new study identifies a protein needed to recruit this enzyme to the starch granule. Read the Research Article.
Assuntos
Amilose/biossíntese , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas , Sintase do Amido/genéticaRESUMO
Long bones are far from being simple cylinders, so how is the relative positioning of their various features maintained during growth? A new study shows that growth is isometric and that drift from the correct position is minimized. Read the Research Article.
Assuntos
Ossos do Braço/embriologia , Ossos do Braço/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Desenvolvimento Ósseo/fisiologia , Ossos da Perna/embriologia , Ossos da Perna/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Animais , MasculinoRESUMO
SWAP-70-like adaptor of T cells (SLAT) is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho GTPases that regulates the development of T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cell inflammatory responses by controlling the Ca(2+)-NFAT signaling pathway. However, the mechanism used by SLAT to regulate these events is unknown. Here, we report that the T cell receptor (TCR)-induced translocation of SLAT to the immunological synapse required Lck-mediated phosphorylation of two tyrosine residues located in an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif-like sequence but was independent of the SLAT PH domain. This subcellular relocalization was coupled to, and necessary for, activation of the NFAT pathway. Furthermore, membrane targeting of the SLAT Dbl-homology (catalytic) domain was sufficient to trigger TCR-mediated NFAT activation and Th1 and Th2 differentiation in a Cdc42-dependent manner. Therefore, tyrosine-phosphorylation-mediated relocalization of SLAT to the site of antigen recognition is required for SLAT to exert its pivotal role in NFAT-dependent CD4(+) T cell differentiation.